He (God) asked me (Ezekiel) ,
“Have you been watching, son of man?”
Then He led me back along the riverbank.
When I returned, I was surprised by the sight
of many trees growing on both sides of the river.
Then He said to me,
“this river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea.
The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.
There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows.
Fish will abound in the Dead Sea,
for its waters will become fresh.Life will flourish wherever this water flows.
Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea.
All the way from En-gedi to En-egalaim,
the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun.
Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean.”

The Dead Sea is a body of water so salty that nothing can live in it. The river in Ezekiel’s vision, would freshen the Dead Sea’s water so it can support life. This is a picture of the life-giving nature of the water that flows from God’s Temple. Jesus says He is this Living Water! God’s power can transform us no matter how lifeless or corrupt we may be. Even when we feel messed up and beyond hope, His power can heal us.

What are You saying to me this day, God?

I think God is trying to show me that my life, without Him, is like the Dead Sea --- and well, dead! Without Him, my Salty Dead Sea-Ness cannot support any life. The way I live, the way I treat others, the way I try to fill my emptiness with everything BUT His life-Giving water just will not turn my Salty Dead Sea-Ness into a fresh, living life. And when I am not filled with Him, I spew the same Salty Dead Sea water onto others in my life, and mess up their water supply, too.

What pockets of my life are salty and dead, Father?

Where are You wanting to pour your Life-Giving water?

I am thinking about daily struggles that we all face. We get up in the morning, and right away are bombarded with Salty Dead Sea-Ness. Problems at home. Problems with kids. Problems with bills and finances. Arguments with spouses. Disappointments. Co-Workers who push our buttons. Addictions. Anger. Traffic. Depression. Hopelessness. Our life is just one dead, salty pool of water after another. Maybe God is teaching us that we should call upon Him as each salty situation arises and ask HIM to come and fill us with His life-giving water – right at that instant! Why do we try everything else first? What if we ran to Him with funnels and buckets, ready to receive His water, and let Him pour life-giving water into our salty – messed up situation? We don’t think it would really work, do we? Just calling out to Him, praying to Him, to pour His Life-Giving water – could it possibly work that way?

“Father, forgive me. Help me to understand, that only You are Life-Giving water. Only You can turn my Salty Dead Sea-Ness into a reservoir of fresh living water! Fill me Lord, with You! I want to stop running to other things to try and fill the empty, dead places of my life. Help me taste and see how good You are! Quench my dry and thirsty soul! The next time I am Salty Dead Sea-Ness please remind me by the power of Your Holy Spirit to stop and remember Your Word and this image of being Salty Dead Water. Help me to ask You right then for Your Life-Giving Water. And then let me watch in amazement as You turn a Salty Dead Sea moment or circumstance into one that is Life- Giving, bursting with goodness and new life. Let me come to you with Buckets and Funnels - expecting an abundance of Your Life-Giving water - let me not show up with just a thimble! "Life will flourish wherever this water flows." Thank You for Your promise of Life-Giving Water. Amen.”

Can you think of a testimony of how God poured His life-giving water into an area of your life that was Salty and Dead Sea-Ness? Please share! God loves to hear His children bragging about how awesome He is!